Fan assembly with vibration absorbing member

ABSTRACT

A fan assembly includes a chassis and a fan bracket secured in the chassis. The chassis has a bottom wall. The fan bracket comprises a strengthening fan bracket plate, a first fan bracket plate mounted to the strengthening fan bracket plate, and a second fan bracket plate parallel to the first fan bracket plate. The first fan bracket plate and the second fan bracket plate are configured for securing the fans. Each fan comprises a first sidewall. A plurality of vibration absorbing members are secured to the fan. Each vibration absorbing member comprises a head and a blocking portion, and the head is located between the strengthening fan bracket plate and the first fan bracket plate. The blocking portion is located between the first sidewall and the first fan bracket plate.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a fan assembly with vibration absorbing members.

2. Description of Related Art

Heat dissipating devices perform the critical function of removing heat from a computer system. The heat dissipating device often includes one or more fans received in a bracket. For example, in a server system, a plurality of fans is provided to efficiently dissipate heat. The fans are secured to a bracket, and the bracket is mounted in a server enclosure. When the server system is running, vibration generated by disk drives or other electronic devices secured in the server system is transferred to the server enclosure and the bracket. The fans can be adversely affected by the vibration, such that heat dissipation efficiency is impaired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a fan assembly with vibration absorbing members in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of an enclosure and a fan bracket of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a vibration absorbing member of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of circled portion V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of circled portion VI of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fan assembly includes a chassis 10, a fan bracket 20 mounted to the chassis 10, a plurality of vibration absorbing members 30, and a plurality of fans 40 accommodated in the fan bracket 20. The plurality of vibration absorbing members 30 is configured to absorb vibrations. In one embodiment, the vibration absorbing members 30 are made of resilient materials, or other materials, which are capable of absorbing vibration.

The chassis 10 can have any geometric shape, configuration, or orientation suitable for housing an electronic device therein. For simplicity and as an aid to description, the chassis 10 is described as a partially or completely enclosed rectangular box herein, although other equally effective geometric shapes and configurations may exist in other embodiments. In one embodiment, the chassis 10 includes a chassis bottom wall 11, a first chassis sidewall 13 connected to an edge of the chassis bottom wall 11, and a second chassis sidewall 14 connected to another edge of the chassis bottom wall 11. The first chassis sidewall 13 and the second chassis sidewall 14 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the chassis bottom 11.

The fan bracket 20 includes a strengthening fan bracket plate 21, a first fan bracket plate 23, and a second fan bracket plate 25. The first fan bracket plate 23 is parallel to the second fan bracket plate 25. The strengthening fan bracket plate 21 is mounted to the first fan bracket plate 23 between the first chassis sidewall 13 and the second chassis sidewall 14. A plurality of heat dissipating holes 211 are defined in the strengthening fan bracket plate 21.

The first fan bracket plate 23 is secured on the chassis bottom wall 11 between the first chassis sidewall 13 and the second chassis sidewall 14. A plurality of through holes 230 corresponding to the heat dissipating holes 211 are defined in the first fan bracket plate 23. Two securing slots 231 are defined in a top edge of the first fan bracket plate 23 above each through hole 230. Each securing slot 231 includes a guiding portion 2311, and a receiving portion 2313 corresponding to the guiding portion 2311. In an embodiment, the guiding portion 2311 has a width greater than that of the receiving portion 2313.

The second fan bracket plate 25 is secured on the chassis bottom wall 11, and located between the first chassis sidewall 13 and the second chassis sidewall 14. The second fan bracket plate 25 defines a plurality of openings 251 and positioning slots 253. The positioning slots 253 are defined in a top edge of the second fan bracket plate 25 above each opening 251. Each positioning slot 253 includes a guiding portion 2531, and a receiving portion 2533 corresponding to the guiding portion 2531. In an embodiment, the guiding portion 2531 has a width greater than the receiving portion 2313.

The fans 40 can be located between the first fan bracket plate 23 and the second fan bracket plate 25. Each fan 40 includes a first sidewall 41 and a second sidewall 43 opposite to the first sidewall 41. Four clipping holes 411 and four clipping holes 431 are respectively defined in the first sidewall 41 and the second sidewall 43, configured for the vibration absorbing members 30 engaging therein.

Referring to FIG. 3, each vibration absorbing member 30 includes a head 31 and a shaft 37 extending from a bottom of the head 31. A blocking portion 35 protrudes from the shaft 37. A connecting portion 72 is defined between the head 31 and the blocking portion 35. In one embodiment, the diameter of the head 31 is greater than the width of the securing slot 231 and the positioning slot 253. The diameter of the connecting portion 33 is less than the width of the guiding portion 2311, 2531 and the receiving portion 2313, 2513, so that the connecting portion 33 can be received in the receiving portion 2313, 2513. The diameter of the blocking portion 35 is less than the head 31, but greater than the width of the securing slot 231 and the positioning slot 253, so that the blocking portion 35 can be located between the first sidewall 41 and the first fan bracket plate 23, or located between the second sidewall 43 and the second fan bracket plate 25. The shaft 37 can be engaged with the corresponding clipping hole 411, 431, and defines a plurality of protruding portions 371, 373. In one embodiment, the plurality of protruding portions 371, 373 are made of latex.

Referring to FIG. 4, in assembly, two vibration absorbing members 30 are inserted into two clipping holes 411 of the first sidewall 41 of the fan 40, and another two vibration absorbing members 30 are inserted into two clipping holes 431 of the second sidewall 43 of the fan 40. Then, the shaft 37 of each vibration absorbing member 30 is engaged with the corresponding clipping hole 411, 431. The protruding portion 371 of each shaft 37 is clipped into the corresponding clipping hole 411, 431, and the shaft 37 is placed between the first sidewall 41 and the second sidewall 43.

The fan bracket 20 is mounted on the chassis bottom wall 11 of the chassis 10. The strengthening fan bracket plate 21 is mounted to the first fan bracket plate 23 by screws, and the strengthening fan bracket plate and the first fan bracket plate 23 have a gap 50 therebetween. The fans 40 with the vibration absorbing members 30 are disposed between the first fan bracket plate 23 and the second fan bracket plate 25, and each fan 40 corresponds to each heat dissipating hole 211. The connecting portion 33 of the each vibration absorbing member 30 on the first sidewall 41 passes through the guiding portion 2311 of the securing slot 231 and is received in the receiving portion 2313. The connecting portion 33 of each vibration absorbing members 30 on the second sidewall 43 passes through the guiding portion 2531 of the positioning slot 253 and is received in the receiving portion 2533. Then, the head 31 of the vibration absorbing members 30 on the first sidewall 41 are placed in the gap 50 of the strengthening fan bracket plate 21 and the first fan bracket plate 23 (shown in FIG. 5). The blocking portions 35 of the vibration absorbing members 30 on the first sidewall 41 are placed between the first fan bracket plate 23 and the first sidewall 41, and the blocking portions 35 of the vibration absorbing members 30 on the second sidewall 43 are placed between the second sidewall 43 and the second fan bracket plate 25 (shown in FIG. 6).

In use, the heads 31 are disposed between the strengthening fan bracket plate 21 and the first fan bracket plate 23. The blocking portions 35 are disposed between the first sidewall 41 and the first fan bracket plate 23, or are disposed between the second sidewall 43 and the second fan bracket plate 25. Thus, the heads 31 and the blocking portions 35 together absorb vibration of the fan bracket 20.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A fan assembly, comprising: a chassis; a fan bracket used to accommodate fans; the fan bracket comprising a strengthening fan bracket plate, a first fan bracket plate and a second fan bracket plate; a fan located between the first fan bracket plate and the second fan bracket plate, and the fan comprises a first sidewall; and a plurality of vibration absorbing members secured on the fan, each vibration absorbing member comprising a head and a blocking portion, the head is located between the strengthening fan bracket plate and the first fan bracket plate, and the blocking portion is located between the first fan bracket plate and the first sidewall of the fan.
 2. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the strengthening fan bracket plate is mounted to the first fan bracket plate, a gap is defined between the strengthening fan bracket plate and the first fan bracket plate, and the head is located in the gap.
 3. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the width of the blocking portion is less than the width of the head.
 4. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein each vibration absorbing member comprises a shaft connected to the head, and the blocking portion protrudes from the shaft.
 5. The fan assembly of claim 4, wherein a clipping hole is defined in the first sidewall of the fan, and the shaft of the vibration absorbing member is engaged with the clipping hole.
 6. The fan assembly of claim 5, wherein a plurality of protruding portions are defined on the shaft.
 7. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein a connecting portion is defined between the head and the blocking portion.
 8. The fan assembly of claim 7, wherein the diameter of the connecting portion is less than the diameter of the blocking portion.
 9. The fan assembly of claim 7, wherein the first fan bracket plate defines a plurality of securing slots, and the connecting portions are received in the plurality of securing slots.
 10. A fan assembly, comprising: a chassis having a bottom wall; a fan bracket adapted to accommodate fans, and mounted on the bottom wall; the fan bracket comprising a first fan bracket plate, a plurality of securing slots defined in the first fan bracket plate, and a plurality of clipping holes deposed in a fan; and a plurality of vibration absorbing members engaging with the plurality of clipping holes and received in the plurality of securing slots, isolating the fan from the first fan bracket plate.
 11. The fan assembly of claim 10, wherein the fan bracket comprises a strengthening fan bracket plate mounted to the first fan bracket plate, the fan comprises a first sidewall, each vibration absorbing member comprises a head and a blocking portion, the head is located between the strengthening fan bracket plate and the first fan bracket plate, and the blocking portion is located between the first fan bracket plate and the first sidewall.
 12. The fan assembly of claim 11, wherein the width of the blocking portion is less than the width of the head.
 13. The fan assembly of claim 11, wherein each vibration absorbing member comprises a shaft connected to the head, and the blocking portion protrudes from the shaft.
 14. The fan assembly of claim 13, wherein the shaft defines a plurality of protruding portion.
 15. The fan assembly of claim 11, wherein a connecting portion is defined between the head and the blocking portion.
 16. The fan assembly of claim 15, wherein the diameter of the connecting portion is less than the diameter of the blocking portion.
 17. The fan assembly of claim 15, wherein the connecting portion is received in the plurality of securing slots. 